Indianapolis Man Arrested In Stolen Vehicle At Gary Gas Station, Claims He Bought It For $500 From Menace
Stephan Anthony Bailey, 20, of Indianapolis, was taken into custody after police located him in a stolen vehicle at a gas station in Gary, according to court documents.
According to the affidavit, on March 17, 2026, officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department were alerted to a stolen vehicle traveling near Burr Street and 25th Avenue. The vehicle, a red Fiat bearing an Indiana disability plate, had been reported stolen out of Indianapolis.
Police located the vehicle parked at a gas station in the 2500 block of Burr Street. Officers observed a male wearing an orange hoodie exit the driver’s seat and walk into the business. Officers approached and took the individual into custody after he began to pull away during the arrest.
The driver was identified as Bailey through an Indiana identification card located inside the vehicle. Officers reported the keys to the vehicle were in his possession at the time.
Bailey told police he did not know the vehicle was stolen and claimed he had purchased it in Indianapolis for $500 from a man he had recently met.
During a follow-up interview, Bailey stated he met the individual at a gas station and later bought the vehicle without any paperwork. He described the seller only by the nickname “Menace” and admitted multiple times during the interview that he was “just young and dumb.”
Investigators confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen on March 9, 2026, after the owner briefly left the keys inside before it was taken from an alley. The owner advised she did not give anyone permission to use or take the vehicle.
Bailey was transported to the Lake County Jail without further incident.
Charge filed March 19,2026
• Auto Theft – Level 6 Felony
